Transdermal drug delivery device with multiple reservoirs

Abstract

An iontophoretic device is taught which is positionable on skin of a recipient. An insulating member includes therethrough at least one reservoir containing a drug between outer and inner (recipientwise) electrodes adhered to surfaces of the insulating member. The inner electrode preferably is spaced from a rim of the drug reservoir by the same distance as the depth and width of the reservoir. The electrodes are connected to field generating means which draw the ionic drug into the patient and outward from the rim of the reservoir.

We claim: 
     
       1. An iontophoretic device comprising in combination: an insulating member having an inner surface positionable adjacent skin of a recipient,   a plurality of reservoirs formed in the insulating member, each reservoir including an opening in the inner surface and adapted to contain an ionic drug and terminating in a rim formed at the opening in the inner surface,   an outer electrode positioned on the insulating member to be in contact with the drug when the drug is in said reservoirs,   a single continuous inner electrode on the inner surface and surrounding each said reservoir and spaced from the rim of each said reservoir to define a gap between the rim and the inner electrode, and   means for the electrodes being connectable to a field generating means for energizing the electrodes to draw the drug into the skin of the recipient.   
     
     
       2. The iontophoretic device in claim 1 with each reservoir having a predetermined depth measured from the outer electrode to the inner surface,   the width of each gap substantially equal to the depth.   
     
     
       3. An iontopheric device comprising in combination: an insulating member having an inner surface positionable adjacent skin or a recipient;   a plurality of reservoirs formed in the insulating member, each reservoir including an opening at the inner surface and adapted to contain a drug and terminating in a rim formed at the opening in the inner surface,   an outer electrode positioned on the insulating member to be in contact with the drug when the drug is in the reservoirs,   each reservoir having a predetermined depth measured from the outer electrode to the inner surface,   a single continuous inner electrode on the inner surface and surrounding each said reservoir and spaced from the rim of each said reservoir to define a gap between the rim and the inner electrode, each gap having a width substantially equal to the depth, and   means for the electrodes being connectable to field generating means or energizing the electrodes to draw the drug into the skin of the recipient.   
     
     
       4. The iontophoretic device of claim 3 with each reservoir having a transverse dimension equal to the depth. 
     
     
       5. The iontophoretic device of claim 4 with the insulating member a flat plate having an outer surface,   the reservoirs passing completely through the insulating member from the outer surface to the inner surface,   the outer electrode adhered on the outer surface, and the inner electrode adhered on the inner surface.   
     
     
       6. The iontophoric device of claim 5 with three reservoirs substantially cylindrical and having parallel axes that are not coplanar. 
     
     
       7. The device of claim 6 with the reservoirs having the same diameter and each reservoir equispaced from two neighboring reservoirs. 
     
     
       8. The device of claim 6 with at least four reservoirs. 
     
     
       9. The device of claim 8 with the reservoir axes defining a rectangle in plan view.